In attacking Sarah Palin from her performance at the Nashville Tea Party Convention, this was the best they could come up with to disparage her.
Like the Tea Party Movement itself, they are trying so hard to find something juicy to pin on Sarah Palin, but it's not easy. They have to resort to silly little things that make themselves look bad.
Notes on her hand? My goodness. A few notes to keep papers off the lectern is nothing compared to a tele prompter at every single speech, including that in a grammar school classroom. It would be foolish to get up in front of a national audience without a note or two. Her speech wasn't written word for word, or even outlined. Just a "handful" of words to keep her on topic. That's pretty impressive, if you ask me.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
TRENDS
The political climate in America is shaping up into a predictable block. While I know that poll numbers are often unreliable, I believe that trends can definitely be assessed when looking at multiple agencies and a longer timeline.
The most recent Rasmussen poll shows that Obama's SOTU polling bounce is over.
The trends show something that I find interesting. From the numbers, it seems clear to me that there is about 25% of the electorate who is going to stand by Obama for the duration. During President Bush's presidency that number hovered slightly above 30%.
Yet, there is evidence that those who had so much hope in Obama for real Hope and Change and desperately want to approve of his performance bumped that number up to about 45% after the SOTU address. Already, however, it's back down to the 25% that strongly approve of Obama's performance as president. I attribute that to the rhetorical advantage that Obama has always had. His words sound so good to a large body of Americans, but quickly his double speak and hypocritical comments, and realization that things are not getting better sets in and the numbers plummet again.
If Obama won with about 55% of the vote in 2008, that leaves about 10% of the people who voted for him in 2008, who continue to reject him, even after his rhetorical smoothness because of his increasing lack of results. Perhaps those were a 10% block who really wanted to like Bush and McCain, but just felt like there needed to be a change in leadership to heal the nation from all of the partisan bickering.
I really do believe that a lot of Obama's appeal to the center electorate was his promises to remove the deep divide between the left and the right, as well as the hope for a post racial America. In reality, however, the divide has only grown deeper, leaving many of the centrists disenchanted and ready for another change. The Tea Party movement appeals to them b/c it does cross party lines and focuses on a common sense approach to solving our country's ills... a direction guided by the people and not the political elite.
The Tea Party's first national convention in Nashville could be a double edged sword for its reach to the center left. It is very good, in that, it is FINALLY getting some media attention. There is an increasing inability to dismiss the "Tea Partiers" as simply a radical, stupid, fake, dangerous fringe. They have political power and are affecting elections and it's clear that they're here to stay for at least one election cycle - and an important and pivotal one at that.
The danger is that as you let people from various edges of the Tea Party movement get up to the podium with the world watching, their words begin to define what the Tea Party Movement stands for. If they stick to the basics that pull everyone together, it'll be great. OTOH, if people take the opportunity to push their own pet issues, such as immigration and abortion, they risk splintering the united grass roots effort. Because there is no central apparatus, there are many arms of the Tea Party movement. This is healthy, in that, its agenda is being laid by the ground up. It's potentially damaging, in that their message takes on different emphasis in the minds of the people attending the Town Halls and such, even if they aren't expressed in the signs at the protests. They are united by anger and fear of the direction our country is going. They want the power to be returned to the people. They want the Constitution to become the overriding rule book again. They want our debts to be paid. They want to remain a shining light in the world, instead of falling into the same pitfalls of socialism and dictatorial government that so many other nations have taken or are stuck in. If they stick to that message, there is a large net that are and will get behind.
Basically, the Tea Party has a Back to the Basics message. Return to the Constitution; strengthen basic freedoms; return to a true separation of powers; keep a limited government; remember that our country actually has a republic and federalist model - the House represents us, not their own agenda and states get all powers not specifically given to the federal government. That would be a good place to start for a unifying message.
Let's hope and pray that the message doesn't get distorted in a way that splinters the unifying message.
The most recent Rasmussen poll shows that Obama's SOTU polling bounce is over.
The trends show something that I find interesting. From the numbers, it seems clear to me that there is about 25% of the electorate who is going to stand by Obama for the duration. During President Bush's presidency that number hovered slightly above 30%.
Yet, there is evidence that those who had so much hope in Obama for real Hope and Change and desperately want to approve of his performance bumped that number up to about 45% after the SOTU address. Already, however, it's back down to the 25% that strongly approve of Obama's performance as president. I attribute that to the rhetorical advantage that Obama has always had. His words sound so good to a large body of Americans, but quickly his double speak and hypocritical comments, and realization that things are not getting better sets in and the numbers plummet again.
If Obama won with about 55% of the vote in 2008, that leaves about 10% of the people who voted for him in 2008, who continue to reject him, even after his rhetorical smoothness because of his increasing lack of results. Perhaps those were a 10% block who really wanted to like Bush and McCain, but just felt like there needed to be a change in leadership to heal the nation from all of the partisan bickering.
I really do believe that a lot of Obama's appeal to the center electorate was his promises to remove the deep divide between the left and the right, as well as the hope for a post racial America. In reality, however, the divide has only grown deeper, leaving many of the centrists disenchanted and ready for another change. The Tea Party movement appeals to them b/c it does cross party lines and focuses on a common sense approach to solving our country's ills... a direction guided by the people and not the political elite.
The Tea Party's first national convention in Nashville could be a double edged sword for its reach to the center left. It is very good, in that, it is FINALLY getting some media attention. There is an increasing inability to dismiss the "Tea Partiers" as simply a radical, stupid, fake, dangerous fringe. They have political power and are affecting elections and it's clear that they're here to stay for at least one election cycle - and an important and pivotal one at that.
The danger is that as you let people from various edges of the Tea Party movement get up to the podium with the world watching, their words begin to define what the Tea Party Movement stands for. If they stick to the basics that pull everyone together, it'll be great. OTOH, if people take the opportunity to push their own pet issues, such as immigration and abortion, they risk splintering the united grass roots effort. Because there is no central apparatus, there are many arms of the Tea Party movement. This is healthy, in that, its agenda is being laid by the ground up. It's potentially damaging, in that their message takes on different emphasis in the minds of the people attending the Town Halls and such, even if they aren't expressed in the signs at the protests. They are united by anger and fear of the direction our country is going. They want the power to be returned to the people. They want the Constitution to become the overriding rule book again. They want our debts to be paid. They want to remain a shining light in the world, instead of falling into the same pitfalls of socialism and dictatorial government that so many other nations have taken or are stuck in. If they stick to that message, there is a large net that are and will get behind.
Basically, the Tea Party has a Back to the Basics message. Return to the Constitution; strengthen basic freedoms; return to a true separation of powers; keep a limited government; remember that our country actually has a republic and federalist model - the House represents us, not their own agenda and states get all powers not specifically given to the federal government. That would be a good place to start for a unifying message.
Let's hope and pray that the message doesn't get distorted in a way that splinters the unifying message.
Friday, February 5, 2010
VERY MOVING
Take a look at this YouTube video regarding the freedom "Green" movement in Iran. It is incredibly moving. Why on earth are we not supporting them more? They only want what we want - freedom. Believing in the power of democracy and freedom was the offensive strategy that Bush had for defeating terror and nuclear threat in this increasingly hateful world. It is the domino effect he was talking about when he said the democratic countries become allies and brings peace to the world. Iraq was the first domino. Iran wants to be the second. To me, the thousands upon thousands of Iranians standing up to their tyrannical leaders is the gateway to peace in that part of the world. If Iran can be free, anywhere can. Bowing to the Iranian President A. and putting us on an equal footing with him is not working to bring peace or disarmament. The people of Iran need us. From this video, you'd think that we are closer to achieving a free country there than in Afghanistan. The bad people in Iran already hate us; that will not change. We won't be bringing on anymore hostility (rhetorical perhaps, but not practical) than there is now, were we to support the Green freedom seekers.
Freedom is the desire of all people. The people are stronger than their government when they pull together, especially if they have the support and protection of another powerful democracy like America. If we don't support them, all the bad leaders in Iran can do when the masses rise up is kill their people. They already do in many ways. They are expecting a lot of blood shed on February 11.
Freedom is the desire of all people. The people are stronger than their government when they pull together, especially if they have the support and protection of another powerful democracy like America. If we don't support them, all the bad leaders in Iran can do when the masses rise up is kill their people. They already do in many ways. They are expecting a lot of blood shed on February 11.
SHOWDOWN IN TEHRAN: In six days, on the 31st anniversary of Iran’s Islamic Revolution, we may see the biggest and possibly the bloodiest confrontation yet between the regime and its enemies, the Iranian people.
Posted at 10:23 pm by Michael Totten
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
ROTTEN APPLES
You knew it wouldn't be long before the Progressives to find a way to dismiss the Tea Party movement. The "astroturf" language didn't work. Calling them "the radical right fringe" didn't work. They wanted to show them as troublemakers or racists or something, but that proved harder than they thought because the Tea Party protest rallies have been so uncharacteristically non-violent for a protest.
Well, I think they may have found a ploy. As the saying goes, "one rotten apple can spoil the whole barrel." From an article from PajamasMedia,
Divide and conquer. If infiltrators like this show up, the Tea Party could start to divide itself, trying to separate itself from such garbage. Hopefully, true Tea Partiers can clear the record before that happens. They're trying.
Here is the full story.
Well, I think they may have found a ploy. As the saying goes, "one rotten apple can spoil the whole barrel." From an article from PajamasMedia,
Houston has a problem.It reminds me of the big Tea Party Protest in Washington D.C. where CNN tried so hard to frame the Tea Partiers to be something they're not. Now, they have found someone to back up their preconceived conclusions.
Rather, the Houston tea party groups have a problem — a character named Dale Robertson. He is a self-appointed “leader” of the tea party movement, most famous for carrying a sign at the 3/27 tea party in Houston with the word “niggar” on it.
Unfortunately, the press seems to find him newsworthy. He continues to show up in mass media professing to be the “founder” of the tea party movement. From his website:So, they've got someone on the inside who can make the Tea Party movement look like it's made up of racists.
"Dale, is the founder of the modern day Tea Party. Dale Robertson, a public speaker, a family man with a wife and 5 children, has lead Tea Party rallies across America from its inception."
He owns the website TeaParty.org and has even hired publicist Tim Bueler to increase his profile.
Divide and conquer. If infiltrators like this show up, the Tea Party could start to divide itself, trying to separate itself from such garbage. Hopefully, true Tea Partiers can clear the record before that happens. They're trying.
Unfortunately, Dale is very much not a hero to those who first encountered him in February of last year. He has been described as a fake, a con artist, and worse by frustrated tea party groups across the land. Houston’s, in particular, is so upset at being associated with the man that they sent out the following press release:It seems to be helping, at least with the Tea Party types, who get most of their news from the blogosphere.
1. He is NOT a member of our Leadership team.
2. He owns a website with which we have never been affiliated.
3. He has never been a part of organizing any of the Tea Party rallies in the Houston area, or any other area that we can find.
4. We addressed some issues involving him back in April. Here it is on our website, where Mr. Robertson himself comments: http://houstontps.org/?p=318
5. We do not choose to associate with people that use his type of disgusting language.
We shall see how long it takes before the tea party movement finally gets the mainstream media to avoid this man. They have, for the most part, corrected the blogosphere. But they have a lot work left to do to marginalize this man.
Here is the full story.
IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID
We've all heard that before, i.e., "It's the economy, stupid," when talking about why a political figure is not polling well. It's what voters are reacting to when they're marking their ballot. That may very well be true, but if America's enemies get their way, our money troubles may seem irrelevant compared to the havoc they reap. I think of the earthquake in Haiti, and how lives, their way of life, and their very country was destroyed in a minute.
I grew up during the Cold War, but was young enough to be aloof enough for it not to concern me. Dad promised that because both the USA and Russia had the nuclear bomb, all would be fine, b/c of the inevitable mutual destruction. Peace through strength. And, he was right. Today, it's different. It's different because if Iran were to get the nuclear bomb, they may not care about mutual destruction. Already, suicide bombers are willing to lose their life in the name of hurting the infidels. Men, women, and children will die for the cause of destroying Western Civilization as we know it.
Remarks and events coming out of Iran in the last couple of days are concerning. First, there was Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announcing that,
Then, today, (from here)
They would be, too, because the USA would never send a nuclear bomb, first. But, Ahmadinejad would. Any threat he made would have to be taken extremely seriously. In the absence of the desire to preserve the lives of your own people, what would stop him? There would no longer be any room for negotiation. They could dictate to the world their demands. There would be no more hope for negotiation. I think that would be the definition of dealing "a harsh blow to the global arrogance" of the United States.
It brings to mind the time of "The Kings" in the Old Testament. When the power of the thrown came from a good king, one in which had the best interests of people at heart, all was well. But, when power became an end unto itself, the king's motives were not to protect the people, but to rule over them and exert his control and power wherever he could. I see a parallel in America being the superpower of the world versus if Iran were the superpower of the world. The whole world would have a dark cloud over it.
We wouldn't be counting our dimes and nickels, but our very lives.
It's hard to say where we'd be, in terms of our relationship to Iran, if Bush were still president. But, I don't think this administration has helped our cause by bowing down to dictators, apologizing for the United States, and generally giving up our status in the world, and handing it over to a country with a bigger stick.
I pray I'm wrong, but even if I'm not, it seems like it's only time before that will happen.
I grew up during the Cold War, but was young enough to be aloof enough for it not to concern me. Dad promised that because both the USA and Russia had the nuclear bomb, all would be fine, b/c of the inevitable mutual destruction. Peace through strength. And, he was right. Today, it's different. It's different because if Iran were to get the nuclear bomb, they may not care about mutual destruction. Already, suicide bombers are willing to lose their life in the name of hurting the infidels. Men, women, and children will die for the cause of destroying Western Civilization as we know it.
Remarks and events coming out of Iran in the last couple of days are concerning. First, there was Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announcing that,
"the nation will deliver a harsh blow to the “global arrogance” on this year’s anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.The anniversary is February 11, 2010. (Ironic that it's the 11th) Who knows what he means by that threat, but my speculation is that it will have something to do with demonstrating that they have a nuclear bomb ready.
Then, today, (from here)
Iran has launched a research rocket carrying a mouse, two turtles and worms into space – showing that the country can defeat the west in the battle of technology and that it will soon send its own astronauts, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said today.That, in itself might be a "harsh blow to the global arrogance" of the U.S.A. But, if that's all he had in mind, wouldn't he have waited until Feb. 11, or said the "harsh blow" would happen on Feb. 3. What today's launch does show, however, is that they have the technology to shoot a rocket big enough to go into space, which could imply that they have the technology to build a rocket big enough to deliver a nuke a long ways. Therefore, I think it's plausible, if not speculative, that Ahmadinejad could show that they are now the superpower of this world, because their nuke is ready.
They would be, too, because the USA would never send a nuclear bomb, first. But, Ahmadinejad would. Any threat he made would have to be taken extremely seriously. In the absence of the desire to preserve the lives of your own people, what would stop him? There would no longer be any room for negotiation. They could dictate to the world their demands. There would be no more hope for negotiation. I think that would be the definition of dealing "a harsh blow to the global arrogance" of the United States.
It brings to mind the time of "The Kings" in the Old Testament. When the power of the thrown came from a good king, one in which had the best interests of people at heart, all was well. But, when power became an end unto itself, the king's motives were not to protect the people, but to rule over them and exert his control and power wherever he could. I see a parallel in America being the superpower of the world versus if Iran were the superpower of the world. The whole world would have a dark cloud over it.
We wouldn't be counting our dimes and nickels, but our very lives.
It's hard to say where we'd be, in terms of our relationship to Iran, if Bush were still president. But, I don't think this administration has helped our cause by bowing down to dictators, apologizing for the United States, and generally giving up our status in the world, and handing it over to a country with a bigger stick.
I pray I'm wrong, but even if I'm not, it seems like it's only time before that will happen.
WHAT A JOKE
We already know that the stimulus package did not deliver the jobs it promised, but news today proves it did even less than even their "jobs saved or created" numbers. Now, it's simply, "jobs being paid for with stimulus money" (whether or not they would have been lost w/o it.) From an article written by Reason.com:
As The New York Times notes, the Obama administration has abandoned the attempt to count the number of jobs "created or saved" by the stimulus money—i.e., jobs that would not exist but for the special funds from Washington. .....Instead they are now officially asked to do what many (or most) of them probably were doing anyway: count the jobs "funded" by stimulus money.Nothing more needs to be said. It's all one big joke. Most of us have already awakened to it (or knew it all along), but there are still some who are drinking the Koolaide and believe that the stimulus is stimulating the economy, instead of simply financing pet projects and and growing our deficit in paralyzing proportions. Hopefully, those people will concede that the joke was on them, before all of their credibility is lost. But, kudos to the NY Times for reporting it. There is hope yet.
Monday, February 1, 2010
ANOTHER EXCITING RACE
2010 is going to be a fun year for watching elections. Even the primary elections get exciting when new Tea Party candidates are involved. It's very exciting to see a truly grass roots movement make such an impact, without huge funds or name recognition. The Illinois governor primary's race is shaping up to be one such race. From, an article by Robert Stacy McCain, entitled, "Andrzejewski's Army,"
"Adam Andrzejewski refers to his opponents in the Illinois Republican primary as "the Redcoats," while calling his own grassroots campaign for governor "the ragtag army."Revolutionary War metaphors come easily for Andrzejewski, whose showing Tuesday in Illinois will provide an early test of the ability of Tea Party activists to deliver votes in Republican primaries during this year's mid-term campaign."Say that name fast! Adam Andrzejewski is running as one of the Republican candidates in the gubernatorial primary election in Illinois. Instead of his difficult to pronounce name being a handicap, he has used it as a funny part of a friendly commercial,
"His comparatively modest resources may actually prove a hidden blessing in the hard-fought primary. While his opponents are inundating Illinois with automated "robocalls" and flooding the airwaves with negative ads, Andrzejewski's campaign is relying on volunteers to run phone banks and closing out with a light-hearted TV commercial featuring man-on-the-street interviews of voters pronouncing his last name.While he isn't entering the election tomorrow with the highest polling numbers, (from last week) there is surely to be at least some spike after today's endorsement by Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck. He is one of the top five candidates in the primary.
It's pronounced "an-gee-EFF-skee," reflecting a Polish heritage that should prove another advantage in Illinois.
"The Republican race is even more up for grabs with five candidates polling within eight points of each other. Kirk Dillard is at 19%, followed by Andy McKenna with 17%, Bill Brady with 16%, Jim Ryan at 13%, and Adam Andrzejewski at 11%. Of the remaining candidates only Dan Proft with 7% is not in double digits."Andrzejewski said,
"We feel we're either within the margin of error or leading the race right now," said the Tea Party candidate, adding that he senses "panic" among his rivals in the crowded primary field. "We think 22 percent wins the race. Anywhere from 150,000 to 200,000 votes -- in a state of 13 million -- will win the nomination. The bar is that low."Daily, I hear more and more instances of the Tea Party movement gaining momentum and credibility.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)